Folding water craft



p 1965 J. w. GAREHIME, JR 3,204,261

FOLDING WATER CRAFT Filed Feb. 17, 1964 INVENTOR. Jacob W. Gorehime,dr

1 IQ! p Agent United States Patent 3,204,261 FOLDING WATER CRAFT JacobW. Garehime, Jr., 1700 E. Grifiith St, Las Vegas, Nev. Filed Feb. 17,1964, S91. No. 346,373 6 Claims. (Cl. 9-2) This invention relates to awater craft which can be collapsed into a compact package.

A collapsible water craft should be simple and readily propelled onwater yet easily collapsible to form a compact package of ready and easyportability. Various craft in the form of demountable boats haveheretofore been proposed, as well as those likened to a cycle in whichseparated floats support an organization which is propelled by a screwor other pedal actuated means. The boat type craft are often bulky andclumsy even when disassembled or folded, while the craft based on acycle concept have generally employed a propeller with accompanyingdrive mechanism and pedal actuation, which has complicated theconstruction and collapsibility. A need has existed for a simple,efiicient water craft which can readily be collapsed into a compact,light weight readily portable package.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved,collapsible water craft. Another object of this invention is to providea simple and eflicient water craft which can be collapsed to form acompact, portable package. These and other objects of this inventionwill be apparent from the following description thereof and from theannexed drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a general perspective view of a water craft embodyingfeatures of this invention.

FIG. 2 shows in detail, and somewhat enlarged, the attachment of aradiating arm to the seat of the water craft of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows in detail and somewhat enlarged, the attachment of an oaroutrigger to the seat of the water craft of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows the water craft of FIG. 1 collapsed to form a compactpackage.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the water craftcomprises a seat 10, of any suitable shape or design for comfort orindicated utility, for example, circular as shown, to which are attachedthree radiating arms -12. Three arms 12 provide advantageous support forthe craft, and when spaced as preferred at an angle of about 120 each toits neighbor impart adequate lateral as well as fore and aft stability.The attachment of the ends of arms 12 to seat is preferably made to theunderside thereof as will be seen more clearly in FIG. 2 wherein the endof arm 1-2 is flattened and suitably attached as by welding to aswinging hinge plate 14 which is operatively connected by hinge pin 16to stationary hinge plate 18 which is in turn fixedly attached to theunderside of seat 10 as by screws 20. Bumper stop 22 is attached to seat10 as by screw 24 and limits the vertical angle of arm 12 to providesuitable elevation of seat 10 above the free ends of arms 12 whenextended as will be hereinafter described in more detail. Attachment ofeach of arms 12 to seat 10 is the same as that shown in FIG. 2 anddescribed above.

At the free ends of arms 12 are attached hollow floats 26 which are madeof flexible plastic or other air and water impermeable fabric. Thenormal shape of floats 26 is maintained by inflation by introduction ofgas, such as air, through valves 28, which may be of conventional designfor such purpose as similar to tire valves, and may be deflated throughsuch valve to collapse the floats around the ends of arms 12. As shownin FIG. 1 the ends of arms 12 pass through floats 26, the plastic orfabric of which floats 12 are made being suitably sealed "ice at thearea of passage therethrough of arms 12 to insure that each float willbe gas and water tight.

"To one of arms 12 is attached footrest 30 which may be in the form of abar as shown, clamped to the arm 12 by bolt 32.

Also hingedly attached to seat 10, preferably at the underside thereof,are outriggers 34 at whose outer ends are pivotally attached oars 36.Attachment of oars 36 is accomplished by rowlocks whose yokes 38 areprovided with cross pins 40 passing freely through oars 36 and whosestems 42 are rotatably mounted in bushings 44 and secured at their lowerends by threaded nuts 46. Bushings 44 are fixedly attached to the outerends of outriggers 34. Outrigger braces 48 are attached, preferablypivotably, to the outer ends of outriggers 34 with their inner endsprovided with eyes 50 which can he slipped over an upstanding bolt 51and clamped in place by tightening finger nut 52. Braces 48 when clampedare of such length as to maintain outriggers 34 normally insubstantially horizontal extended position as shown in FIG. 1.

Outriggers 34 are attached to seat '10 at locations one on each side ofthe center of seat 10 and on opposite sides with respect to a directionfacing footrest 30.

The attachment of outriggers 34 to the underside of seat 10 is shown indetail in FIG. 3 wherein the side arms of outriggers 34 are bentinwardly toward each other and these inwardly bent portions are heldrotatably in transverse grooves 54 in plates 56 which are at their endportions fixedly attached to the underside of seat 10 as by screws 58.The inner and protruding ends 60 of the bent portions of the side armsof outriggers 34 are bent downwardly at an angle of about degrees tolock the arm bent portions in grooves 54 in plates 56, and also toprovide a stop which will abut against the underside of seat 10 and setthe outrigger at about 90 degrees to the general plane of the seat whenbraces 48 are unclamped and the outriggers 34 are collapsed.

FIG. 4 shows the water craft collapsed, with the outrigger braces 48unclamped and the outriggers collapsed, floats 26 deflated and arms 12collapsed. It will be seen that the hinged attachment of arms 12 and theoutriggers 34 to seat 10 and the pivotal attachment of oars 36 tooutriggers 34 permits the arms 12 with floats 26 and outriggers 34 withattached oars 36 to be collapsed and folded into substantially parallelrelationship to make a compact package.

In operation, the water craft of this invention is first prepared forwater use by extending arms 12 and inflating floats 2.6 through valves28 by blowing or pumping as with a tire pump or from a source ofcompressed gas. Outriggers 34 are extended and the eyes 50 of braces 48are placed on bolt 51 and clamped under nut 52. The craft may then bepropelled in the water by usual manual actuation of oars 36, with therower seated on seat 10 with his feet braced on footrest 30. Seat 10 andthe supported rower will be maintained at a suitable elevation above thewater surface by abutment of arms 12 against the under seat bumper stops22 which establishes the angle of arms 12 with respect to horizontal andthus establishes the elevation relationship of seat 10 and floats 26.

To collapse the Water craft valves 28 of floats 26 are opened and floats26 are deflated. Arms 12 are folded into substantially parallelrelationship under seat 10. Pinger nut 52 is loosened and the ends ofbraces 48 taken oil bolt 51 and outriggers 34 and oars 36 are foldedalso into substantially arallel relationship with each other and alsowith arms 12, under seat 10. Thus, the water craft can be collapsed intoa compact, portable package a illustrated in FIG. 4.

Three radiating arms carrying floats are important to provide stabilityto the water craft of this invention. Less than three arms with floatsof the type described will not provide this stability, and more thanthree, to any degree uniformly spaced, will obviously limit the angularspacing between them and as a result reduce the necessary room andclearance for operating the oars during propulsion of the craft. Threearms and floats spaced about 120 apart, therefore provide a combinationof excellent flotation, stability and clearance for rowing.

It will be noted that the water craft of this invention does not havewhat could be considered a body structure separate from the floatcarrying arms. The arm carrying the footrest will be the aft arm,assuming the rower faces backward to his direction of travel, and theother two arms will radiate forward and partly abeam. The seat on whichthe rower sits is supported by the inboard end of these arms; theiroutboard ends, as described, being attached to the floats. The verticalangle of the arm with respect to the seat is set by the under seatbumper stops so that the seat is supported at a suitable rowing height.This will generally be arranged so that the rower is elevatedsufficiently to enable the oars to be operated with desirable immersionof their blades, and also so that the rower is dry and comfortable.

Swinging the float arms out from under the seat by their hingedattachments to extended position stopped by the under seat bumpersautomatically provides the arms in floating position at the requiredvertical angle for seat elevation. This organization is simple,eflicient, light and easily collapsible since any frame, body orbackbone has been eliminated and only the arms, outriggers and carstructures need handling and folding.

The water craft of this invention relies on oared propulsion which isconvenient and eifective to provide both forward and backward motion aswell as directional control. Buoyancy provided by the floats at the endsof extending arm provides adequate flotation and also stability, bothlaterally and fore and aft. Due to the described hinged attachment ofthe float arms and the oar outriggers to the seat, these elements can becollapsed readily into folded, substantially parallel relationship; withthe oars, pivotably mounted on the outriggers, being also likewisefolded.

The water craft of this invention lends itself to fabrication from lightweight materials such as aluminum and plastics which enhance theportability of the compact and easily handled package into which itcollapses. It is useful to provide means for marine transportation Whichcan also be readily collapsed and portaged from lace to place.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No.188,219 filed April 17, 1962, now abandoned.

I claim:

1. A collapsible water craft comprising:

(a) a seat;

(b) three arms radiating from said seat and having their ends hingedlyattached to said seat to permit said arms to pivot in a plane which isvertical with respect to the plane of said seat;

() inflatable and deflatable floats attached to said arms;

(6.) a footrest attached to one of said arms;

(e) a pair of outriggers hingedly attached to said seat at locations oneon each side of the center thereof and on opposite sides with respect toa direction facring said footrest to permit said outrigger to pivot in aplane which is vertical with respect to the plane of said seat; and,

(f) oars pivotably attached to said outriggers, whereby when said armsand outriggers are extended and said floats :are inflated, a rower maysit on said seat with his feet on said footrest and propel said waterwater craft by means of said cars, and when said floats are deflatedsaid arms and said outrigger with said oars attached may be collapsedinto substantially parallel relationship to form a compact, portablepackage.

2. A collapsible water craft comprising:

(a) a seat;

(b) three arms radiating from said seat and having their ends hingedlyattached to said seat to permit said arms to pivot in a plane which isvertical with respect to the plane of said seat at the undersidethereof;

(0) inflatable and deflatable floats attached to said arms;

(d) a footrest attached to one of said arms;

(e) a pair of outriggers hingedly attached to said seat at the undersidethereof at locations one on each side of the center thereof and onopposite sides with respect to a direction facing said footrest topermit said outriggers to pivot in a plane which is vertical withrespect to the plane of said seat; and,

(f) oars pivotably attached to said outriggers, whereby when said armsand outriggers are extended and said floats are inflated, a rower maysit on said seat with his feet on said footrest and propel said Watercraft by means of said oars, and when said floats :are deflated saidarms and said outrigger with said oars attached may be collapsed intosubstantially parallel relationship to form a compact, portable package.

3. A collapsible water craft comprising:

(a) a seat;

(b) three arms radiating from said seat and having their ends hingedlyattached to said seat to permit said arms to pivot in a plane which isvertical With respect to the plane of said seat;

(c) inflatable and deflatable floats attached to said arms;

(d) a footrest attached to one of said arms;

(e) a pair of outriggers hingedly attached to said seat at locations oneon each side of the center thereof and on opposite sides with respect toa direction facing said footrest to permit said outriggers to pivot in aplane which is vertical with respect to the plane of said seat;

(f) braces hingedly attached to said outriggers and attachable to saidseat to maintain said outriggers in extended position; and,

(g) oars pivotably attached to said outriggers, whereby when said armsand outriggers are extended and said floats are inflated, a rower maysit on said seat with his feet. on said footrest and propel said Watercraft by means of said oars, and when said floats are deflated said armsand said outriggers with said oars attached may be collapsed intosubstantially parallel relationship to form a compact, portable package.

4. A collapsible water craft comprising:

(a) a seat;

(b) three arms radiating from said seat and having their ends hingedlyattached to said seat to permit said arms to pivot in a plane which isvertical with respect to the lane of said seat;

(0) inflatable and deflatable ball-shaped floats attached to the freeends of said arms;

(d) a footrest attached to one of said arms;

(e) a pair of outriggers hingedly attached to said seat at locations oneon each side of the center thereof and on opposite sides with respect toa direction facing said footrest to permit said outriggers to pivot in aplane which is vertical with respect to the plane of aid seat; and,

(f) oars pivotably attached to said outriggers, whereby when said armsand outriggers are extended and said floats are inflated, a rower maysit on said seat with his feet on said footrest and propel said watercraft by means of said cars, and when said floats are deflated said armsand said outriggers with said oars attached may be collapsed intosubstantially parallel relationship to form a compact, portable package.

5. A collapsible water craft comprising:

(a) a seat;

(b) three arms radiating from said seat spaced about 120 degrees apartand hingedly attached to said seat to permit said arms to pivot in aplane which is vertical with respect to the plane of said seat;

(c) inflatable and deflatable floats attached to said arms;

(d) a footrest attached to one of said arms;

(e) a pair of Outriggers hingedly attached to said seat at locations oneon each side of the center thereof and on opposite sides with respect toa direction facing said footrest to permit said outriggers to pivot in aplane which is vertical with respect to the lane of said seat;

(f) braces hingedly attached to said Outriggers and attachable to saidseat to maintain said Outriggers in extended position; and,

(g) oars pivotably attached to said Outriggers, whereby when said armsand outriggers are extended and said floats are inflated, a rower maysit on said seat with his feet on said footrest and propel said watercraft by means of said oars, and when said floats are deflated said armsand said Outriggers with said oars attached may be collapsed intosubstantially parallel relationship to form a compact, portable package.

6. A collapsible water craft comprising:

(a) a seat;

(b) three arms radiating from said seat spaced about 120 degrees apartand hingedly attached to the under side of said seat with bumper stopson the underside of said seat to permit said arms to pivot in a planewhich is vertical with respect to the plane of said seat to control thevertical angle of said arms so that said seat is elevated at suitablerowing height;

(c) inflatable and deflatable floats attached to said arms;

(d) a footrest attached to one of said arms;

(e) a pair of Outriggers hingedly attached to said seat at locations oneon each side of the center thereof and on opposite sides with respect toa direction facing said footrest to permit said outriggers to pivot in aplane which is vertical with respect to the lane of said seat;

(f) braces hingedly attached to said Outriggers and attachable to saidseat to maintain said Outriggers in extended position; and,

(g) oars pivotably attached to said Outriggers, whereby when said armsand Outriggers are extended and said floats are inflated, a rower maysit on said seat with his feet on said footrest and propel said watercraft by means of said oars, and when said floats are deflated said armsand said Outriggers with said oars attached may be collapsed intosubstantially parallel relationship to form a compact, portable package.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 665,410 1/01Davis 926 927,341 7/ 09 Ettinger 92 2,529,745 11/50 Stanley 92 2,644,1777/53 Stanley 92 2,958,306 11/60 Haxton et al 9310 2,990,804 7/ 61Garehime 92.1

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

1. A COLLAPSIBLE WATER CRAFTR COMPRISING: (A) A SEAT; (B) THREE ARMSRADIATING FROM SAID SEAT AND HAVING THEIR ENDS HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO SAIDSEAT TO PERMIT SAID ARMS TO PIVOT IN A PLANE WHICH IS VERTICAL WITHRESPECT TO THE PLANE OF SAID SEAT; (C) INFLATABLE AND DEFLATABLE FLOATSATTACHED TO SAID ARMS; (D) A FOOTREST ATTACHED TO ONE OF SAID ARMS; (E)A PAIR OF OUTRIGGERS HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID SEAT AT LOCATIONS ONE ONEACH SIDE OF THE CENTER THEREOF AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES WITH RESPECT TO ADIRECTION FACING SAID FOOTREST TO PERMIT SAID OUTRIGGERS TO PIVOT IN APLANE WHICH IS VERTICAL WITH RESPECT TO THE PLANE OF SAID SEAT; AND, (F)OARS PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID OUTRIGGERS, WHERBY WHEN SAID ARMS ANDOUTRIGGERS ARE EXTENDED AND SAID FLOATS ARE INFLATED, A ROWER MAY SIT ONSAID SEAT WITH HIS FEET ON SAID FOOTREST AND PROPEL SAID WATER WATERCRAFT BY MEANS OF SAID OARS, AND WHEN SAID FLOATS ARE DEFLATED SAID ARMSAND SAID OUTRIGGERS WITH SAID OARS ATTACHED MAY BE COLLAPSED INTOSUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO FORM A COMPACT, PORTABLE PACKAGE.